The inconsistent performance of the Pakistan cricket team in ICC tournaments is a recurring theme, as is the barrage of criticism from former players. The tendency to engage in blame-shifting and heated debates has become commonplace in Pakistan cricket, particularly following disappointing outcomes. This pattern was evident after Pakistan's loss to India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In a crucial match against their long-standing rivals, Pakistan suffered a defeat by six wickets, largely due to a brilliant century from Virat Kohli in Dubai.

The following day, after New Zealand triumphed over Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, Pakistan's exit from the Champions Trophy was confirmed. Their final match against Bangladesh has now been rendered inconsequential, as India and New Zealand have already secured their places in the semi-finals from Group A.

The reaction on Pakistani television and YouTube was intense, with numerous former cricketers launching pointed critiques of the team led by Mohammad Rizwan.

Notably, those appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to support the team also participated in television discussions, openly expressing their dissatisfaction with the team's performance.

During a live broadcast on PTV, Mohammad Hafeez, a former captain, confronted Shoaib Malik, another former captain and one of the five PCB appointees tasked with improving the team. Hafeez questioned Malik about whether he had been given the autonomy to work effectively with the squad.

Malik appeared visibly uncomfortable, and before he could respond, Hafeez remarked, “It's been six months.”

In an effort to alleviate the tension, Shoaib Akhtar, who was also part of the discussion, urged Hafeez not to put Malik in a difficult position, stating, “Don't put him in a spot.”

‘Dil ke arman ansuon mein beh gaye’: Malik after India's loss to Pakistan

Malik expressed the emotions of Pakistan cricket team supporters by performing a well-known Bollywood song during a panel discussion following Pakistan's loss to India. 

In the wake of Pakistan's disappointing defeat to India, which followed a significant 60-run loss to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy opener, former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar prompted his former teammate and captain, Shoaib Malik, to share his sentiments. Rather than engaging in a cricket-related dialogue, Malik chose to sing "Dil ke arman ansuon mein beh gaye," a song from the 1982 Bollywood film "Nikaah."

Akhtar shared the video of this moment on his social media platforms, captioning it: "Today's state of affairs explained by Shoaib Malik."

Numerous former cricketers from Pakistan, including Malik and Akhtar, have openly criticized the underwhelming performance of the team led by Mohammad Rizwan in the Champions Trophy. The team faced defeats against New Zealand and India, resulting in their exit from the tournament, which marks the first ICC event hosted by Pakistan since the 1996 ODI World Cup, without putting up a significant contest.

The lack of aggression in Pakistan's batting was apparent in both encounters. In their opening match against New Zealand, while chasing a target of 321 runs, Pakistan recorded the lowest powerplay score in Champions Trophy history at 22 for 2, which placed them at a considerable disadvantage and eliminated any realistic chance of successfully pursuing the target.

In the subsequent match against India, although captain Rizwan and Saud Shakeel managed to form a 100-run partnership, it was the slowest in recent ODI history for Pakistan. This cautious approach left them in a position where they had no choice but to attempt a risky finish to set a competitive score. Unfortunately, this strategy backfired, and following the quick dismissals of both Rizwan and Shakeel, Pakistan's innings collapsed to a total of 241 runs.

In response, Kohli achieved his 51st ODI century, becoming the fastest and only the third player to surpass 14,000 runs in this format, guiding India to a comfortable victory.

Akhtar, recognized as one of the fastest bowlers in cricket history, even labelled Babar Azam a "fraud."

Former captain and coach Mohammad Hafeez advocated for the removal of all three pace bowlers—Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah.

Akram expressed his discontent regarding the send-off that off-spinner Abrar Ahmed gave to Shubman Gill after dismissing him with an impressive delivery. 

"There is a time for everything. Is there no one to tell him what he is doing? Consider the match situation; you are under pressure and celebrating as if you have taken five wickets," Akram remarked.

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